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Way Station Community Employment Program |
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Frederick County For Program and Referral information, contact: Tim Kenyon, CEP Coordinator Howard County For Program and Referral information, contact: Nina Morrow, CEP Coordinator Turning Point, Washington County For Program and Referral information, contact: Cathie Wesmiller, CEP Coordinator | |
Way Station's Community Employment Program is built on the core value that all persons have the right and ability to obtain paid community-based employment and has a long history of helping individuals with disabilities go to work. Persons served by Way Station's Community Employment Programs achieve an average 65% employment rate. The Community Employment Program enhances the quality of lives of the individuals it serves by:
The Community Employment Program provides individually tailored services to assist persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, and/or have physical, psychiatric, and/or developmental disabilities in developing and realizing employment goals that are consistent with the individual's choices, assessed needs, and abilities. The Program provides comprehensive assessment, training opportunities, and necessary supports that enable individuals to enter or re-enter competitive, integrated work settings. The following core principles underpin Way Station's Community Employment Program:
The primary focus of Way Station's Community Employment programs is to provide job development, placement and support to promote successful community-based employment. The program also offers Career Assessment and self-employment services to support job placements. These ancillary services provide opportunities for the individual to learn about him or her self and to develop skills essential to employment success. This continuum of service is not necessarily sequential and job development and placement supports are not contingent upon an individual's participation in these services. Services are generally available seven days per week during the hours an individual is working. Employment Specialists are expected to maintain flexible schedules, making appropriate supports available to clients as needed. Career Assessment Services Career Assessment Services offer numerous evaluation options that are designed to assist individuals who are having difficulty identifying employment paths and obtaining or maintaining employment. Services are individualized and are provided on a 1:1 basis under the supervision of a licensed Occupational Therapist. Job Development Job development services are individually designed around the employment desires of the individual, the job seeking skills of the individual and the employment opportunities within the local community. Job Development Services utilize the Customized Employment Approach which focuses on negotiating employment positions that meet the needs of both the job seeker and the employer. The Employment Specialist assists the individual in identifying job tasks, job clusters and employment environments that meet the preferences and needs of the individual. Job Coaching Supported Employment Job Coaching services provide ongoing assistance and support to enable the worker to achieve and maintain competitive employment in a community-based work setting. Services provided are intended to be flexible in nature, decreasing as an individual masters skills and increasing as needed. Services are provided both on the job site and off the job site as determined by the needs and wishes of the individual and the assessment of the Employment Specialist. Self Employment The Community Employment Program partners with the client, his or her DORS counselor, and the RISE Program (Reaching Independence through Self Employment) representative to provide services to individuals who choose self employment as a vocational goal. Community Employment Program staff support the client through all aspects of the development, implementation, and operation of his or her own business. Community Employment Program Expectations Enrolling in the Community Employment Program is the equivalent of entering into a significant agreement. The anticipated outcome of this agreement is for the individual to be employed in a job of his or her choosing. The success of the endeavor depends on the participation of the individual. He or she plays an important role in planning the services and will be asked to assist in the development of the plan by identifying and communicating the individual's strengths and goals, and to identify and communicate how Way Station can help the individual achieve these goals. What an individual should expect from the Community Employment Program
What the Community Employment Program expects from the individual
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